Ariel DeFazio is an attorney with over a decade of experience representing employees in state and federal suits and investigations of discrimination and retaliation. She also regularly negotiates severance agreements and assists current employees who are navigating precarious situations at work.
After earning her bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and teaching environmental education, Ms. DeFazio came out west to serve with AmeriCorps. She then spent several years working in the nonprofit field before attending the University of Colorado Law School. Since earning her law degree, Ms. DeFazio has devoted her legal career to advocating for employees who have been discriminated and retaliated against, harassed, denied wages, and wrongfully discharged because of their disability, sex, pregnancy, age, race, LGBTQ+ status, use of family medical leave, and other reasons that violate federal and Colorado law. These cases are often emotionally fraught and legally challenging, and Ms. DeFazio takes great pride in her role as counselor-at-law, educating clients about their options and what to expect at each step of the process.
Ms. DeFazio’s passion for educating individuals about their rights in the workplace has led her to present on employment law topics to an array of lay audiences. This spans the spectrum from an informal discussion about parental leave with a small number of expectant parents to presentations about how to handle a cancer diagnosis at work to individuals served by the Colorado Ovarian Cancer Alliance. If you know of a group who would benefit from such a presentation, do not hesitate to reach out to Ms. DeFazio.
Ms. DeFazio is a board member of the Plaintiff Employment Lawyers Association and the Faculty of Federal Advocates. She is also a member of the National Employment Lawyers Association, Colorado Women’s Bar Association, Colorado Bar Association’s (CBA) Labor & Employment Section, and the Colorado LGBT Bar Association, where she served on the board previously. She volunteers periodically providing legal assistance to pro se litigants through the CBA-sponsored Colorado Federal Pro Se Legal Clinic and Federal Limited Scope Appearance Program. She is also a member of the National Women’s Law Center’s Legal Network for Gender Equity.
Leadership Roles:
Community Service & Pro Bono:
Recognition:
• 2022-2023 Super Lawyer in Employment Litigation: Plaintiff
• 2020-2021 Super Lawyers Rising Star in Employment
• 10.0 (Superb) Avvo rating
Memberships:
Selected Courses Taught:
• Case Law Update, Colorado PELA Annual Retreat (co-presenter) (October 2022)
• Employment Law in 80 Minutes, Faculty of Federal Advocates, Representing Pro Bono Clients in Federal Court – Part I (co-presenter) (July 2022)
• Health and Employment Issues for Non-binary and Transgender People, League of Women Voters of Denver March Briefing (co-presenter) (March 2022)
• Written Discovery Battles: from Tax Returns to Personnel Files, CBA Labor & Employment Section (January 2022)
Publications:
